Why did Shakespeare make "the rest is silence" Hamlet's final words? | eNotes Why did Shakespeare make "the rest is silence" Hamlet's final words? amymc | High School Teacher | (Level 2) Associate Educator Posted on June 13, 2011 at 12:13 AM I would ask you to consider the "noise" that Hamlet has been experiencing since his father died. Because Hamlet is a sensitive, philosophical young man, he thinks rather than acts. However, his father has been murdered and demands revenge from his only son. Therefore, Hamlet experiences a lot of emotional "noise" and it tends to be introverted psychologically rather than extroverted (inward, not outward). His erratic thoughts create additional "noise" as does his thwarted love for Ophelia and the deceptions of his two friends. As Act V concludes, he realizes his end may be near and does not seem afraid.

In fact, he seems to have resolved his life to the hand of fate, as the following quotation implies: If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes? After this decision, the "noise" in his head subsides. He seems to think more clearly. The final quote--"the rest is silence"--could represent the true peace that Hamlet feels as both external and internal noise are gone. like 2 dislike 0 August 16, 2008 at 9:29 AM Hamlet, who speaks the majority of the lines in the play, is about to die and stop speaking for ever. He has avenged his father's murder, been cut with the poisoned rapier, and, as he has just reflected to Horatio, is about to pass the crown of Denmark (he is, at this moment, effectively the only candidate to be king) to Fortinbras. There will be no familial succession.

In that sense, the rest is silence for the line of the Hamlets. Yet there is (as with so many other things in Hamlet) a meta-theatrical element. Hamlet has just asked Horatio not to commit suicide (Horatio's line 'Here's yet some liquor left' refers to a drop of poison left and his desire to kill himself) but to stay alive and to 'report' Hamlet's story to Fortinbras. Hamlet cannot voice his choice for succession nor can he tell his own story: he is about to die; there can only be silence from him. But when the play--itself a version of Hamlet's story--comes to an end, part of Horatio's project, even after the curtain has come down, is to re-tell that same story: So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less, Which have solicited. Paraphrase: So tell Fortinbras, with the events and results that came to pass, more or less, which wrongdoing was provoked and incited. So, perhaps, as we come to the end of a performance of Hamlet in the theatre, we confront Hamlet.

Yet, in an odd sort of way, we simply come to the end of a cycle. There is silence at the end of each performance, but every time the play itself is performed, Hamlet's dying wish for his story to be told 'aright' is fulfilled. HAMLET The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit: I cannot live to hear the news from England, But I do prophesy the election lights On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice; So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less, Which have solicited—The rest is silence". The reference you mention is part of Hamlet's final speech in which he observes the fact that he is dying and reflects that he will not be a part of anything more in life. The rest of his life is to be silence. His life ended, too soon, leaving a wide gap of silence where years of living should be. Hamlet realizes he needs to rely on Horatio to tell Fortinbras that he has Hamlet's "dying voice" for succession to the throne of Denmark.

He also asks Horatio to tell the story of his uncle, his father, his mother, of how Ophelia died, and finally of how Hamlet's promising life was cut short when he says: HAMLET. So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less, Which have solicited ... May 29, 2008 at 8:39 AM The obvious answer is probably the right one here: It was the end of the play. Hamlet dies with these words. For nearly the entire play, Hamlet wrestled with the words of his father's Ghost asking him to take revenge against Claudius for having killed King Hamlet. Now, Claudius is dead by Hamlet's hand. Gertrude, Hamlet's mother and the one the Ghost wanted left alone, is also dead. There is no one left to carry on the family line, Hamlet has named his successor as Fortinbras, so there is silence. like 1 dislike 0 June 24, 2011 at 6:16 PM hmm.m, well i personally think that he says that to show that it is all over.

from the beginning of the play,Hamlet is troubled and later he has to deal with the voice of his fafther's ghos in his head telling to revenge but in that moment he was finally free of that voic and all the worry. he tell Horatio to tell his story...about all tha had occured in his family but now that he was about to die like everyone else what else could be there but silence? and in Horatio's case it could be taken as a sign of the last order from his prince. he was never going to hear Hamlet's voice again like 1 dislike 0 January 8, 2010 at 12:14 AM Because the man lived and died with the pun (and I mean this in a good way), and he couldn't help but close his greatest play with one.

And what a good pun it is, since it supports at least three or four interpretations, including: a) rest can either mean 'that which is remaining' or, in Hamlet's case, death; b) silence can simply refer to the fact that the play is over--there are no words--or to a description of the state of death; c) a comment on the fact that every other major character is dead and might more grammatically be written 'the rest are silenced." like 1 dislike 0 August 18, 2008 at 10:24 PM The Rest is Silence. In Shakespeare's day, most people unquestioningly believed in heaven (and hell). But Hamlet is a child of the new, philosophical Renaissance, his final line questions the old certainty of Heaven. Hamlet has talked of death throughout the play and stared into the eyes of a freshly-unearthed, dead skull, looking for meaning. Now he is dying and he says, 'the rest is silence' There is a double-wordplay on 'rest' :- 1) Rest could mean "...the remainder..." as in "...we watched the rest of the movie..." or "...the dog had the rest of the meatloaf...".

So Hamlet's saying, "You will hear no more words from me for the rest of time, 'cos I'll be dead." 2) Or 'rest' could mean sleep... eternal rest, the sleep of death. He asked himself a question in the 'to be or not to be' speech, "For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come?". Now he can see over Death's shoulder and he has his answer. What dreams may come? None, the rest is silence. There is no heaven. There is no hell. No 'undiscovered country'. There is just the silence of the grave. Scary Stuff! (Plus, theatrically speaking, it is the end of the play, there is a little 'wrapping up' afterwards by the minor characters, but basically it is the final line, 'The End'. 'The Rest is Silence, Thanks For Coming, and Goodnight.) like 1 dislike 0 No Fear Shakespeare: Hamlet: Act 5, Scene 2, Page 17 No Fear Shakespeare Home → No Fear Shakespeare → Hamlet → Act 5, Scene 2, Page 17 Hamlet Give me the cup. Let go!

By heaven, I’ll have ’t. (takes cup from HORATIO) O God, Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me! If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart Absent thee from felicity a while, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain To tell my story. HAMLET Please, give me that goblet, if you love me. Let go of it! I’ll get it from you, I swear. Oh God, Horatio, what a damaged reputation I’m leaving behind me, as no one knows the truth. If you ever loved me, then please postpone the sweet relief of death awhile, and stay in this harsh world long enough to tell my story. March afar off and shout within A military march is heard from offstage, and a cannon fires. What warlike noise is this? What are these warlike noises? Enter OSRIC Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland, To th' ambassadors of England gives This warlike volley. OSRIC Young Fortinbras, returning in triumph from Poland, is firing his guns to greet the English ambassadors. 355 The potent poison quite o'ercrows my spirit.

I cannot live to hear the news from England. But I do prophesy the election lights On Fortinbras. He has my dying voice. So tell him, with th' occurrents, more and less, Which have solicited. The rest is silence. O, O, O, O. (dies) HAMLET Oh, I’m dying, Horatio! This strong poison’s overpowering me. I will not live to hear the news from England. But I bet Fortinbras will win the election to the Danish crown. He’s got my vote as I die. So tell him that, given the recent events here—oh, the rest is silence. Oh, oh, oh, oh. (he dies) 360 Now cracks a noble heart.—Good night, sweet prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!— Why does the drum come hither? HORATIO Now a noble heart is breaking. Good night, sweet prince. May hosts of angels sing you to sleep.—Why are those drums approaching? Enter FORTINBRAS and the English AMBASSADOR, with drummer and attendants FORTINBRAS and the English AMBASSADOR enter with a drummer and attendants.

Shakespeare's Hamlet - Hamlet's Silence Hamlet's Silence From Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear by Alexander W. Crawford. A great many students of the play have expressed surprise that nowhere does Hamlet give distinct utterance to his conception of the nature of the task assigned him by the ghost. He nowhere explains clearly his own motives, not even in his private talks with his friend, Horatio, nor yet in his soliloquies. This may be due in part to the fact that Hamlet is not the play. As we have seen, the problem of the play cannot be solved by reference only to the prince. The situation of the play is developed before he comes on the stage, and as we shall see later the full solution is reached only after his death. Moreover, the character of his troubles and his task of revenge are of such a personal nature that he cannot reveal them even to Horatio. The fact that his troubles are only suspicions, that cannot be verified at present, forbids a declaration even to his bosom friend. Hamlet very properly has the habit of silence.

There is about him, as has been said "an habitual secrecy" that resists all our prying inquisitiveness. He scarcely deigns even to mention his suspicions to himself, and his soliloquies do not disclose fully his inner thoughts. In his first soliloquy, which occurs in his first appearance on the stage, Hamlet denounces his mother's "o'erhasty marriage," as if this were all that troubled him. His great grief almost breaks his heart, yet he concludes by reminding himself that he must not speak out, saying, "But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue!" (I. ii. 159.) In all his associations with his friends, moreover, he enjoins them to the strictest secrecy regarding any revelations made to them. When Horatio and the others tell Hamlet of the appearance of the ghost, he draws from them all the information he can, and then pledges them to the utmost secrecy, saying, "Give it an understanding, but no tongue." (I. ii.

249) After he has himself seen the ghost they ask him, "What news, my lord.?" But he denies them, saying, "No; you will reveal it." He then seems to think of telling them, first pledging them to secrecy, and begins by saying, "There's ne'er a villain dwelling in all Denmark," and then changing his mind for fear they will disclose it, he adds indifferently, "But he's an arrant knave." A few moments later, after assuring them, "It is an honest ghost," he makes them swear solemnly upon the cross of his sword, "Never make known what you have seen to-night." Hamlet finds it impossible even to make a confidant of Horatio, for not only is his trouble only a suspicion, but it is of the most intimate personal kind, involving as it does the honor of his mother. Fortunately, the friendship between the two is so genuine and strong that Horatio remains his trusty friend without a knowledge of all that is in Hamlet's mind and heart. It is clear, however, that Horatio knows much more than the others, and more than Hamlet is reported as telling him.

At the end of the play, when he is dying, Hamlet solemnly charges Horatio after his death to "report me and my cause aright To the misatisfied." (V. ii. 326-7.) Then after giving his voice for the election of Fortinbras as the next king of Denmark, he dies with these words on his lips, "the rest is silence." (V. ii. 345) No words of Hamlet, then, fully disclose his thoughts and his motives, nor is it necessary that they should. All his words are naturally spoken with the closest reference to the entire situation and the conditions about him. These conditions must, therefore, interpret for us his words and his motives, and if properly understood will make his words clear. Shakespeare does not find it necessary to have Hamlet openly and explicitly declare his thoughts. But he does take particular pains to explain very fully the dramatic situation and all the surroundings of Hamlet, and these give the requisite meaning to his words. It is the supreme art of Shakespeare to delineate his characters in the most intimate relation to the situation and movement of his dramas, and never in isolation or apart from the action of his plays.

In the case of Hamlet, there are fewer explicit words than usual in his plays, and probably for the reason that he has more carefully elaborated the situation that should give the words and actions the meaning required. It is only in these dramatic surroundings that we can find the clue to the character and motive of Hamlet, and these the critics have not been able to understand. How to cite this article: Crawford, Alexander W. Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear. Boston R.G. Badger, 1916. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2009. < >. ______________ Hamlet, Act V, Scene 2 :|: Open Source Shakespeare Hamlet . So much for this, sir; now shall you see the other. 3650 You do remember all the circumstance? Horatio . Remember it, my lord! Hamlet . Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting That would not let me sleep. Methought I lay Worse than the mutinies in the bilboes.

Rashly- 3655 And prais'd be rashness for it; let us know, Our indiscretion sometime serves us well When our deep plots do pall; and that should learn us There's a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will- 3660 Horatio . That is most certain. Hamlet . Up from my cabin, My sea-gown scarf'd about me, in the dark Grop'd I to find out them; had my desire, Finger'd their packet, and in fine withdrew 3665 To mine own room again; making so bold (My fears forgetting manners) to unseal Their grand commission; where I found, Horatio (O royal knavery!), an exact command, Larded with many several sorts of reasons, 3670 Importing Denmark's health, and England's too, With, hoo! such bugs and goblins in my life- That, on the supervise, no leisure bated, No, not to stay the finding of the axe, My head should be struck off. 3675 Hamlet . Here's the commission; read it at more leisure. But wilt thou bear me how I did proceed?

Horatio . I beseech you. Hamlet . Being thus benetted round with villanies, 3680 Or I could make a prologue to my brains, They had begun the play. I sat me down; Devis'd a new commission; wrote it fair. I once did hold it, as our statists do, A baseness to write fair, and labour'd much 3685 How to forget that learning; but, sir, now It did me yeoman's service. Wilt thou know Th' effect of what I wrote? Horatio . Ay, good my lord. Hamlet . An earnest conjuration from the King, 3690 As England was his faithful tributary, As love between them like the palm might flourish, As peace should still her wheaten garland wear And stand a comma 'tween their amities, And many such-like as's of great charge, 3695 That, on the view and knowing of these contents, Without debatement further, more or less, He should the bearers put to sudden death, Not shriving time allow'd. Horatio . How was this seal'd? 3700 Hamlet .

Why, even in that was heaven ordinant. I had my father's signet in my purse, Which was the model of that Danish seal; Folded the writ up in the form of th' other, Subscrib'd it, gave't th' impression, plac'd it safely, 3705 The changeling never known. Now, the next day Was our sea-fight; and what to this was sequent Thou know'st already. Horatio . So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't. Hamlet . Why, man, they did make love to this employment! 3710 They are not near my conscience; their defeat Does by their own insinuation grow. 'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes Between the pass and fell incensed points Of mighty opposites. 3715 Horatio . Why, what a king is this! Hamlet .

Does it not, thinks't thee, stand me now upon- He that hath kill'd my king, and whor'd my mother; Popp'd in between th' election and my hopes; Thrown out his angle for my proper life, 3720 And with such coz'nage- is't not perfect conscience To quit him with this arm? And is't not to be damn'd To let this canker of our nature come In further evil? Horatio . It must be shortly known to him from England 3725 What is the issue of the business there. Hamlet . It will be short; the interim is mine, And a man's life is no more than to say 'one.' But I am very sorry, good Horatio, That to Laertes I forgot myself, 3730 For by the image of my cause I see The portraiture of his. I'll court his favours. But sure the bravery of his grief did put me Into a tow'ring passion. Horatio . [aside to Hamlet] Is't not possible to understand in another tongue? You will do't, sir, really. 3775 Hamlet . What imports the nomination of this gentleman?

Horatio . [aside] His purse is empty already. All's golden words are spent. Hamlet . Of him, sir. 3780 Osric . I know you are not ignorant- Hamlet . I would you did, sir; yet, in faith, if you did, it would not much approve me. Well, sir? Osric . You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is- Hamlet . I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in 3785 excellence; but to know a man well were to know himself. Osric . I mean, sir, for his weapon; but in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meed he's unfellowed. Hamlet . What's his weapon? Osric . Rapier and dagger. 3790 Hamlet . That's two of his weapons- but well. Osric . The King, sir, hath wager'd with him six Barbary horses; against the which he has impon'd, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so.

Three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, 3795 very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit. And you must needs have heard, how I am punish'd With sore distraction. What I have done That might your nature, honour, and exception Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness. Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes? Never Hamlet. 3870 If Hamlet from himself be taken away, And when he's not himself does wrong Laertes, Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it. Who does it, then? His madness. If't be so, Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd; 3875 His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy. Sir, in this audience, Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil Free me so far in your most generous thoughts That I have shot my arrow o'er the house 3880 And hurt my brother. Laertes . I am satisfied in nature, Whose motive in this case should stir me most To my revenge.

But in my terms of honour I stand aloof, and will no reconcilement 3885 Till by some elder masters of known honour I have a voice and precedent of peace To keep my name ungor'd. But till that time I do receive your offer'd love like love, And will not wrong it. 3890 Hamlet . I embrace it freely, And will this brother's wager frankly play. Give us the foils. Come on. Laertes . Come, one for me. Hamlet . I'll be your foil, Laertes. In mine ignorance 3895 Your skill shall, like a star i' th' darkest night, Stick fiery off indeed. Laertes . You mock me, sir. Hamlet . No, by this hand. Claudius . Give them the foils, young Osric. Cousin Hamlet, 3900 You know the wager? Osric . Ay, my good lord. Claudius . Set me the stoups of wine upon that table.

3910 If Hamlet give the first or second hit, Or quit in answer of the third exchange, Let all the battlements their ordnance fire; The King shall drink to Hamlet's better breath, And in the cup an union shall he throw 3915 Richer than that which four successive kings In Denmark's crown have worn. Give me the cups; And let the kettle to the trumpet speak, The trumpet to the cannoneer without, The cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth, 3920 'Now the King drinks to Hamlet.' Come, begin. And you the judges, bear a wary eye. Hamlet . Come on, sir. Claudius . Stay, give me drink. Hamlet, this pearl is thine; 3930 Here's to thy health. [Drum; trumpets sound; a piece goes off [within].] Give him the cup. Hamlet . I'll play this bout first; set it by awhile. Come. [They play.] Another hit. What say you? 3935 Laertes . A touch, a touch; I do confess't. Claudius . Our son shall win. Gertrude .

He's fat, and scant of breath. Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows. The Queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. 3940 Claudius . Gertrude, do not drink. Gertrude . I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me. Drinks. Claudius . [aside] It is the poison'd cup; it is too late. Hamlet . I dare not drink yet, madam; by-and-by. 3945 Gertrude . Come, let me wipe thy face. Laertes . My lord, I'll hit him now. Claudius . I do not think't. Laertes . [aside] And yet it is almost against my conscience. Hamlet . Come for the third, Laertes! You but dally. 3950 Pray you pass with your best violence; I am afeard you make a wanton of me. Laertes . Say you so? Come on. Play. Osric . Nothing neither way. Laertes . It is here, Hamlet. Hamlet, thou art slain; 3970 No medicine in the world can do thee good.

In thee there is not half an hour of life. The treacherous instrument is in thy hand, Unbated and envenom'd. The foul practice Hath turn'd itself on me. Lo, here I lie, 3975 Never to rise again. Thy mother's poison'd. I can no more. The King, the King's to blame. Hamlet . The point envenom'd too? Then, venom, to thy work. Hurts the King. All . Treason! treason! 3980 Claudius . O, yet defend me, friends! I am but hurt. Hamlet . Here, thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned Dane, Drink off this potion! Is thy union here? Follow my mother. King dies. Laertes . He is justly serv'd. 3985 It is a poison temper'd by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet. Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me! Dies. Hamlet . Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee. 3990 I am dead, Horatio. Wretched queen, adieu!

You that look pale and tremble at this chance, That are but mutes or audience to this act, Had I but time (as this fell sergeant, Death, Is strict in his arrest) O, I could tell you- 3995 But let it be. Horatio, I am dead; Thou liv'st; report me and my cause aright To the unsatisfied. I am more an antique Roman than a Dane. 4000 Here's yet some liquor left. Hamlet . As th'art a man, Give me the cup. Let go! By heaven, I'll ha't. O good Horatio, what a wounded name (Things standing thus unknown) shall live behind me! 4005 If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, Absent thee from felicity awhile, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, To tell my story. [March afar off, and shot within.] What warlike noise is this? 4010 Osric . Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland, To the ambassadors of England gives This warlike volley. Hamlet . O, I die, Horatio! The potent poison quite o'ercrows my spirit.

4015 I cannot live to hear the news from England, But I do prophesy th' election lights On Fortinbras. He has my dying voice. So tell him, with th' occurrents, more and less, Which have solicited- the rest is silence. Dies. 4020 Horatio . Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest! [March within.] Why does the drum come hither? Enter Fortinbras and English Ambassadors, with Drum, Colours, and Attendants. 4025 Fortinbras . Where is this sight? Horatio . What is it you will see? If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search. Fortinbras . This quarry cries on havoc. O proud Death, What feast is toward in thine eternal cell 4030 That thou so many princes at a shot So bloodily hast struck. Ambassador . The sight is dismal; And our affairs from England come too late. The ears are senseless that should give us hearing 4035 To tell him his commandment is fulfill'd That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead.

Where should we have our thanks? Horatio . Not from his mouth, Had it th' ability of life to thank you. 4040 He never gave commandment for their death. But since, so jump upon this bloody question, You from the Polack wars, and you from England, Are here arriv'd, give order that these bodies High on a stage be placed to the view; 4045 And let me speak to the yet unknowing world How these things came about. So shall you hear Of carnal, bloody and unnatural acts; Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters; Of deaths put on by cunning and forc'd cause; 4050 And, in this upshot, purposes mistook Fall'n on th' inventors' heads. All this can I Truly deliver. Fortinbras . Let us haste to hear it, And call the noblest to the audience. 4055 For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune. I have some rights of memory in this kingdom Which now, to claim my vantage doth invite me. Horatio . Of that I shall have also cause to speak, And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more.

4060 But let this same be presently perform'd, Even while men's minds are wild, lest more mischance On plots and errors happen. Fortinbras . Let four captains Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage; 4065 For he was likely, had he been put on, To have prov'd most royally; and for his passage The soldiers' music and the rites of war Speak loudly for him. SCENE II. A hall in the castle. SCENE II. A hall in the castle. Enter HAMLET and HORATIO What does Hamlet mean with his dying words, 'The rest is silence?' - Quora Quora It's a deliciously ambiguous line. Here's the entire speech: The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit: I cannot live to hear the news from England; But I do prophesy the election lights On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice; So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less, Which have solicited. The rest is silence.

Here, "rest" means "residue" or "all that remains." So on a literal level, he's saying, "All that remains now is my death" or "The only thing left for me now is the silence of death." But notice that, a few lines earlier, he's said, "I do prophesy the election lights / on Fortinbras," so there's also a sense of "That's all I know" or "That's all the gods have told me. Aside from Fortinbras's election, they are silent." About half a page before this speech, Hamlet says I am dead, Horatio. Wretched queen, adieu! You that look pale and tremble at this chance, That are but mutes or audience to this act, Had I but time--as this fell sergeant, death, Is strict in his arrest--O, I could tell you-- But let it be. Horatio, I am dead ... There's a subtle pun going on here, which may be accidental, but it's also the typical sort of game Shakespeare liked to play.

Notice that the speech personifies death and claims that he "Is strict in his arrest." Then, a few lines later, we have what, when spoken by an actor, would sound like, "th'arrest is silence." Here's one more layer to ponder: The play never answers the question about whether the ghost is Hamlet's father or a devil, sent to lure Hamlet into sin. In fact, this question is at the heart of the play, and it's a major factor in causing Hamlet to delay killing Claudius. The spirit that I have seen May be the devil: and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me... Yes, Claudius killed Hamlet's father, but now Hamlet has committed regicide. Shakespeare's audience would have known that as the worst of all possible crimes. (While "Hamlet" does it, the courtiers shout, "Traitor!") In church, Elizabethans were told revenge was always a sin, even when it's justified. So now that Hamlet is dying, where is his next stop, heaven or hell?

It's a subject that worries him for most of the play, especially in his most famous speech: For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, ... But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover'd country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action. Over the course of the play, he gradually loses this fear: first by watching an army of brave men marching to their deaths ... ... How stand I then, That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see The imminent death of twenty thousand men, That, for a fantasy and trick of fame, Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause, Which is not tomb enough and continent To hide the slain?

O, from this time forth, My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! ... and then by staring death in the face, and realizing that we all come to dust in the end: Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy... Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? ... Prithee, Horatio, tell me one thing. HORATIO E'en so, my lord. HAMLET To what base uses we may return, Horatio! Why may not imagination trace the noble dust of Alexander, till he find it stopping a bung-hole? "Hamlet," then, is largely a play about a man coming to terms with his mortality. In fact, shortly before the duel that will kill him, in a moment of serenity, so far from his fears of "the undiscovered country," he tell Horatio ... If it be now,'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes?

So one way of interpreting the end is with a literal meaning of the word "rest." Maybe, in the end, Hamlet's rest—his final reward—is peaceful. Or you can think of it has his hope that he'll end this way, a hope that is possibly fulfilled or possibly doomed. We can't know, because the rest is silence. Written Jan 18, 2015 Throughout the play Hamlet relies on words instead of action in terms of actually avenging his father's death. Also, Shakespeare relies heavily on the ambiguity of wordplay throughout the play to muddy the waters of Hamlet's true intentions. For example, there is the unrest expressed in the "To Be" speech, indicating his inability to actually come to a decision on what to do--there is an inner noisy argument within him about visiting the "undiscovered country." So, when it comes to the end of the play, when Hamlet has finally committed to an action and finds death, there is again amount of wordplay going on. First, the rest found in death is mere silence--there is no noisy afterwards.

Secondly, the aftermath, the continuation of decision is no more--Hamlet is done with the whole business of actually having to come to a decision: there is silence, he is finished. 2k Views Famous Last Words: Fictional Characters By Chris Raymond Updated June 21, 2016 Whether realized at the time they are said or only in hindsight, nearly everyone will express a word, phrase or sentence that proves the last thing he or she ever says while alive -- and that even includes people who never existed in the first place. Sometimes profound, sometimes everyday, here you will find a select collection of the last words spoken by fictional characters in famous books and plays. Note: The following quotations are organized alphabetically by the fictional character's last name, followed by the title of the book or play, and then the name of the author. Captain Ahab, Moby Dick by Herman Melville Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee. Sink all coffins and all hearses to one common pool!

and since neither can be mine, let me then tow to pieces, while still chasing thee, though tied to thee, thou damned whale! THUS, I give up the spear! " Trekkies " might recognize the "From hell's heart..." quote as one of the memorable lines uttered by the villainous Kahn in the 1982 film Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan . Bilbo Baggins, The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien Hullo, Frodo! Well, I have passed the Old Took today! So that's settled. And now I think I am quite ready to go on another journey. Are you coming? The journey to which Tolkien's famous hobbit refers (in the last book of The Lord of the Rings trilogy) is to the Undying Lands, where Bilbo spent his remaining years. Beowulf, Beowulf (author unknown; translation by Seamus Heaney) You are the last of us, the only one left of the Waegmundings. Fate swept us all away, sent my whole brave high-born clan to their final doom. Now I must follow them.

Julius Caesar, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar! Sydney Carton, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known. Vito Corleone, The Godfather by Mario Putzo Life is so beautiful. Unlike his depiction in the Academy Award-winning 1972 film , crime-boss Corleone utters these last words in the original novel before suffering a heart attack while playing with his grandson. Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince by J.K. Rowling Severus... please... Jay Gatsby, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Well, good-by. God, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Oh dear, I hadn't thought of that.

Hamlet, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare O, I die, Horatio; The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit: I cannot live to hear the news from England; But I do prophesy the election lights On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice; So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less, Which have solicited. Hazel, Watership Down by Richard Adams Yes, my lord. Yes, I know you. Captain James Hook, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie Bad form. Tessie Hutchinson, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson It isn't fair, it isn't right. If you haven't read this classic short story , I encourage you to do so in order to understand the significance of Hutchinson's last words. Kurtz, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad The horror! The horror! In the well-known 1979 film adaptation , "Colonel Walter Kurtz" (portrayed by Marlon Brando) whispers these same climactic words.

Willy Loman, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Now, when you kick off, boy, I want a seventy-yard boot, and get right down the field under the ball, and when you hit, hit low and hit hard, because it's important, boy. There's all kinds of important people in the stands, and the first thing you know... Ben! Ben, where do I...? Ben, how do I...? Sh!... Sh! Sh!... Shhh! After uttering these lines and realizing he will never achieve his vision of the "American Dream," Loman jumps into his car and deliberately crashes it, killing himself, because he believes that his son will use the insurance proceeds to start a business and become rich. Daisy Miller, Daisy Miller by Henry James I don't care whether I have Roman fever or not! King Richard III, The Tragedy of King Richard the Third by William Shakespeare Slave, I have set my life upon a cast, And I will stand the hazard of the die: I think there be six Richmonds in the field; Five have I slain to-day instead of him. A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!

Eustacia Vye, The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy O, the cruelty of putting me into this ill-conceived world! I was capable of much; but I have been injured and blighted and crushed by things beyond my control! O, how hard it is of Heaven to devise such tortures for me, who have done no harm to Heaven at all! Lawrence Wargrave, Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie And they will find ten dead bodies and an unsolved problem on Indian Island. Signed, Lawrence Wargrave Judge Wargrave concluded his confessional suicide note with this line before placing it in a bottle and throwing it into the sea. General Zaroff, The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell Splendid! One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this most excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford. If you haven't read this classic short story , I encourage you to do so in order to understand the significance of Zaroff's last words. Continue Reading Shakespeare’s Words and Phrases | English (ELA) | Media Gallery | PBS LearningMedia Be the first to rate this resource!

Shakespeare’s Words and Phrases This series of videos from Shakespeare Uncovered explores how Shakespeare uses language in his works. This gallery includes examples from Hamlet, Henry V, Macbeth, Richard II and The Tempest and features actors and scholars discussing and debating the meaning of Shakespeare’s words. The videos highlight the way in which different phrases can have varied meanings, and illustrate how Shakespeare’s words come to life when read aloud. The collection also includes a video segment that shows where Shakespeare gained inspiration for his writing and one that raises questions about what version of Hamlet contains Shakespeare’s original text. Exploring the Dagger Scene | Shakespeare Uncovered In this segment Ethan Hawke seeks help from fellow actor Richard Easton to understand the "dagger" soliloquy in Macbeth. They discuss the meaning of words and how to interpret and approach this particular speech. Hawke notes that a certain magic happens when lines are read aloud. Permitted Use: This video segment examines one of Shakespeare’s most famous soliloquies, which Macbeth delivers after hearing of his wife's death.

Permitted Use: The Quartos and the Folio David Tennant and British Library curator Tim Pye explore three different versions of Hamlet-- one in the “bad” quarto (the first and shortest version), one in the “good” quarto (the second version), and one in the First Folio (a collection of Shakespeare’s plays). Permitted Use: The Rest is Silence This segment explores Hamlet’s final speech. Actors David Tennant and Jude Law reflect upon possible meanings of the phrase “the rest is silence” and professor Marjorie Garber discusses the importance of Hamlet’s request for Horatio to tell his story. Permitted Use: We are Such Stuff This video explores the speech in <em>The Tempest </em>that Prospero delivers to Miranda and Ferdinand after stopping their marriage ceremony. The segment highlights the double meaning of the phrase “the great globe itself” and examines the line “We are such stuff as dreams are made on and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” Permitted Use: We Band of Brothers This video explores the St. Crispin’s Day Speech which Henry V delivers on the morning of the Battle of Agincourt in Henry V.

Trevor Nunn reads from the sourcebook that inspired Shakespeare to write the speech, and illustrates how Shakespeare used the source material as a springboard for his writing Permitted Use: The Deposition Scene This video provides an analysis of what Richard II is thinking as he renounces his crown and gives power to the victorious Henry Bolingbroke. It highlights the “deposition scene” from Richard II, exploring its tone and words, and features a script reading and rehearsal of the scene. Permitted Use: Now Doth Time Waste Me Richard II reflects upon his life while imprisoned in Pontefract Castle. The video provides an analysis of Richard II’s speech in his prison cell and addresses his identity crisis and his ultimate realization after having renounced the crown – he is not a king, but merely a man. Permitted Use: Exploring the Dagger Scene | Shakespeare Uncovered In this segment Ethan Hawke seeks help from fellow actor Richard Easton to understand the "dagger" soliloquy in Macbeth. They discuss the meaning of words and how to interpret and approach this particular speech. Hawke notes that a certain magic happens when lines are read aloud.

Background Essay If you wanted to know the definition of a word today, you could easily find it in a dictionary or other source. This was harder to do when Shakespeare began writing in the late 1500s since the first dictionary written entirely in English, A Table Alphabeticall, wasn’t published until 1604. In addition, many English words commonly used in speech in Shakespeare’s time had never been written down. Shakespeare is credited with contributing more words and phrases to the English language, including many terms still commonly used today, than any other person. If you look through the Oxford English Dictionary, you will find many words attributed to him, including: anchovy, arch-villain, bedazzle, birthplace, bubble, dog-weary, downstairs, upstairs, eyeball, fashionable, fortune-teller, prayerbook, puppy-dog, shooting star, successful, weird and well-behaved. Although it is hard to pinpoint which terms Shakespeare coined and which had been used previously, there is no question that he popularized words and phrases to a degree no one else has done.

Many of the phrases Shakespeare wrote are still used today, including the following: “as good luck would have it,” The Merry Wives of Windsor “eaten out of house and home,” Henry IV, Part 2 “fair play,” King John (and other plays) “it was Greek to me,” Julius Caesar “love is blind,” The Merchant of Venice; Two Gentlemen of Verona and Henry V “night owl,” The Rape of Lucrece (poem), 1594. (Prior to this, the term was used in a literal way to mean an owl, while this is the first documented figurative use of the term to refer to a person.) “a sorry sight,” “at one fell swoop,” and “come what may,” Macbeth “thin air,” The Tempest Other contemporary sayings derive from phrases coined by Shakespeare. For example, “all of a sudden” is the modern version of Shakespeare’s phrase “of a sodaine” from The Taming of the Shrew. Similarly, “there’s method to my madness” is a modern version of “Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't” from Hamlet.

In addition to coining new words and phrases, Shakespeare often combined words in ways that produced multiple possible meanings, such as “the rest is silence” in Hamlet, where “rest” could mean “the remainder” or a peaceful rest, and “the great globe itself” in The Tempest where “the globe” could refer to the earth or Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Shakespeare’s creative use of language in his works enables students and scholars of all ages to have rich discussions and debates about the meanings of his words. Words and phrases coined by Shakespeare are such an integral part of the English language today that even people who have never read or seen a work by Shakespeare have -- “as good luck would have it” -- probably unknowingly quoted him numerous times without even trying. For more information about words and phrases attributed to Shakespeare, go to: 135 phrases coined by William Shakespeare: Discussion Questions 1. Review the segments "The Rest is Silence," "We are Such Stuff," and "The Deposition Scene" and discuss the way Shakespeare plays with word meaning in the scenes featured in these examples.

Specifically, discuss the phrases "the rest is silence," "the great globe itself," and "Ay, no; no ay" and how they can each be interpreted in more than one way. 2. In many speeches in Shakespeare’s works, characters reflect upon their place in the world and the meaning of life, often after a major event or at the end of their lives. Compare and contrast the ideas expressed in the scenes cited in "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow," "The Rest is Silence," "We are such Stuff," and "Now Time Doth Waste Me." Discuss the reflections of Macbeth, Hamlet, Prospero, and Richard II and compare and contrast their views about themselves, as well as their thoughts on life and death. 3. View "Exploring the Dagger Scene," "We Band of Brothers," and "The Deposition Scene" and discuss the different ways actors prepare for a role and how their decisions, along with the decisions of their directors, impact the final performances.

Question: Which Shakespeare character's final words are "The Rest is Silence"?
Answer: Hamlet